Boelter pleads guilty in lawmaker attacks, agrees to two life sentences

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

filed 16 records requests under the federal Freedom of Information Act

 seeking internal documents from the Trump administration that might reveal evidence of retribution by the federal government against Minnesota. 

FOIA experts, though, know that actually getting documents from the feds can be a frustrating experience.

While the law requires the federal government to respond within roughly one month, officials can drag out requests longer due to certain exemptions, said 

 director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota.

Walz asked for documents using terms such as “reckoning,” “retribution,” “punish” and other words that suggest actions by the Trump administration, including the winter surge of federal immigration agents, were driven by a political motive against Walz and Minnesota.

“The use of these keywords, which is a great way to get records, can also be used as a justification to say that the request is too broad,” Kirtley told MPR News. “It could be months before there's any kind of definitive response from the federal government.”

Minnesotans could file requests into the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis, but the government could also turn those down for “national security, for privacy, for ongoing investigations,” she added.

If Walz does get documents showing a clear pattern of political retribution, then separate litigation can begin, Kirtley said. “He needs the evidence. This is the first step to getting that,”

Listen to the full conversation by clicking the player above. Find more information on FOIA requests 

Politics and Government News

Shows

Morning Edition

On Air

Gov. Tim Walz

Cathy Wurzer

Host

Lukas Levin

Author

Gov. Tim Walz is seeking documents under the federal Freedom of Information Act that could reveal retribution against Minnesota by the Trump administration. Getting documents through FOIA, however, can be frustrating, a University of Minnesota expert says.

What is a FOIA request and how is the Walz administration using it?

Walz seeks federal records using the Freedom of Information Act, but what is it?

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox